


Shirefall

by InkwellWarriors



Category: The Hobbit (2012), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: AU, Apologies, Canon levels of violence, Gen, Hobbits can be BAMFs too, M/M, Redemption, Slow Build, after the Hobbit, but before LotR, past mistakes, rating may go up later, surprise attack, war changes people
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-02-21
Updated: 2014-11-20
Packaged: 2017-11-30 00:43:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/693401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InkwellWarriors/pseuds/InkwellWarriors
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>for the excellent prompt on LJ by LadyRedFeather:</p><p>"Everyone is alive after the battle to reclaim Erebor and Thorin banished Bilbo away. With a heavy heart Bilbo says nothing and goes back to the Shire alone.<br/>Gandalf also departs, solemly wishing the Dwarves happiness in their home. The Company is more than a little distraught about their missing Burglar. </p><p>Months later a panicked Gandalf comes running into Erebor with only this to say “The Shire, has fallen."<br/>Azog had a son who survived the battle of Erebor and went to take his revenge on the one person he could. The Burglar Bilbo Baggins. He took the remaining Orcs and Wargs to lay siege on the Shire. Thorin, dispite is past dispute with Bilbo, has recently seen the errors of his ways and they set out to aide the Shire.</p><p>Bonus points for Bilbo taking charge in the Shire and is a great leader who teaches the Hobbits how to fight, defend, trap, and kill their enemies in various ways, even with regular household items.</p><p>Extra Bonus points for BAMF hobbits wielding kitchen knives, spades, shovels, etc. (though they still need assistance in ridding of all the enemies)"</p><p>Hope you enjoy!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LadyRedFeather](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyRedFeather/gifts).



> This story is written by VWORPatron, with editing assistance of Cheekbones and Hamburger Pie.
> 
> I upped the time in between for travel and to give Bilbo time to settle in a bit. 
> 
> To those of you who follow our other story "Until Such a Time as the World Stops Spinning", sorry for the delay; have some Hobbit fic while you're waiting.  
> To those viewing our works for the first time: Welcome!!

       Thorin sighed and stretched as the squabbling farmers left. Reconstruction was still going on three years after the Battle of Five Armies and the hellish aftermath. Progress was being made steadily, but not without snags and bumps along the way.

        Rooms could not be cleaned fast enough to house all of those who had come from the other mountain ranges, and Nori’s web was kept busy taking care of factions intent on taking over Erebor from the “soft” king that had made peace with the elves. The Company all held high standings among the dwarves, though many had resumed the jobs they once had or used the skills acquired in their time away from the mountain to fill new positions: Bombur was heading the kitchens; Bifur and Bofur working in the mines as well as making toys; Ori worked in the great library, writing out their journey to reclaim Erebor and restoring the old texts already there; Oin shared his knowledge of herbs and healing to others, his “ointments” making a great deal of difference for those who were wounded during the great Battle; Dwalin was the personal guard to the Princes Kili and Fili and dealt with all of their mischief and mayhem; and Balin was one of Thorin’s advisors. Gloin and Dori floated between jobs, helping where they could, and Nori worked in the shadows and unsavory bits of dwarven culture. Overall, life had greatly improved for dwarves and they were reclaiming their respect as well as their ancient home.

       Of course,Thorin was forever glad Erebor was at peace in the hands of dwarves again, and he was a good ruler who liked to help his people with their problems. But open court was long and at times quite tedious, as many had issues that only he could fix. Fili, as the heir to the throne, had to attend court alongside him and looked equally as bored as Thorin felt. Kili, as the younger prince, had to attend lessons and thus was not in the throne room. For once, Thorin envied his youngest nephew, though he remembered lessons as yawn-worthy, they were far more entertaining than open court. Thorin allowed himself to slump in his throne for a moment, then sat up regally to receive the next grievance. A small group of dwarves entered, but they dodged to one side as a tall, grey-clad figure swiftly approached the throne. Fili, who sat on Thorin’s left, perked up as the wizard bowed hastily to them.

        “Gandalf!” he cried gleefully. None of the dwarves had seen him since he left to escort Bilbo back to the Shire when Thorin banished the hobbit.

       While Fili was all smiles, Thorin frowned. There were scorch marks and dark, oily stains on Gandalf’s robes, and something about his expression put Thorin on edge. He ordered one of the younger attendants to fetch the wizard a large glass of water. Gandalf glanced around the room then sent Thorin a look.

       “Leave us,” the King commanded to the dwarves that were scattered around the room, “this is a private matter.” His subjects were quick to obey and soon the room was empty save for the royals, their guards, and Gandalf. “What has happened, Gandalf?”

       The wizard leaned heavily on his staff, his eyes locked onto Thorin’s as he said, “The Shire has fallen.”

       There was a moment of tense silence before Fili cautiously asked, “Fallen? What do you mean?”

        A stool was brought for Gandalf with a cup of water and he sat gratefully, draining the glass and handing it back to be refilled before he answered Fili with another question: “Were you aware that Azog had a son?”

        The dwarves gaped. “No, I was not aware orcs could even HAVE children,” Thorin finally answered, stunned. Gandalf nodded sagely, accepting another glass of water from the awed attendant.

        “He considers himself Azog’s heir, at the very least, and he is nearly as pale as the White Orc, so there may be some blood relation. He somehow knows that Bilbo slew Azog and has declared war on hobbits to avenge him.”

        Fili gasped, his hands clenched. “Bilbo. Is Bilbo okay?”

        Thorin’s chest contracted at the thought of the brave hobbit killed by orcs.Over the years, he had come to regret banishing Bilbo. The hobbit had only been trying to save his friends and their people, and Thorin saw that once he had recovered from his wounds and gold lust. He was trying to figure out a way to make amends with their burglar and bring him back to Erebor, but if orcs had gotten him first-

        "Bilbo lives, and he is well." Thorin and Fili breathed a sigh of relief. "He is teaching the other hobbits how to defend themselves against the attacks."

        Fili smirked. “Bilbo? Our little burglar?”

        “He is the closest the Shire has to a warrior, and it is thanks to the skills he learned from your Company that the Shire has survived thus far. Many hobbits were killed in the first attack, though, when they were unprepared. Much of the more northern fields have been burned beyond use, but the heart of the Shire is still strong. Bilbo has organised basic defenses and the Rangers have come to their aide, helping families with small children escape to the coast where they can be taken to a city of Men. But the hobbits still need help desperately.”

        “How did the orcs get through the Blue Mountains?” Fili queried, “I thought there was still a strong dwarf presence there?”

        “There are many paths within the mountains that dwarves do not travel, Master Fili, and a great many more they do not know about. Since Erebor has been reclaimed, there are far less dwarves in the Blue Mountains, and the orcs left them alone because they were not the intended target.”

       That sharp pang returned to Thorin’s chest. If he hadn’t banished Bilbo, the orcs might not have attacked the Shire. He felt a hand on his arm and looked over; Fili gave him a sympathetic smile.

        “They likely would have attacked the Shire anyway, Uncle. At least with Bilbo there, they have a chance against the orcs.” Thorin nodded, not saying anything in response. He still felt responsible. It was his enemy that Bilbo slew, his quest that had brought Bilbo there. In the end, it was still his fault that the Shire was being attacked.

        Thorin stood, fire deep in his eyes. “I will call together a war meeting. We will go to the Shire’s aid. It is thanks to Bilbo that we reclaimed our home; we will not let him lose his.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A HUGE thank you to [theshirelife](http://archiveofourown.org/users/theshirelife/pseuds/theshirelife) for all his help with this chapter!! He got me through a major writing block and helped me polish this up nice and shiny.

       Thorin bent over the large map spread out on the table in his council room, the group of dwarves that were his advisors around it. Their eyes followed his finger as he traced the path they would need to take.

       “...we can ask Thranduil for the aid of the elves when we pass through Mirkwood, and perhaps he may be prevailed upon to allow us to restock our supplies there.” His gaze hardened as some of the dwarves scoffed at asking the elves for help. “Remember, this is not just our battle, nor our honor at stake. We are fighting to save the people of the Shire, and they need all the help they can get. Hobbits are not warriors by nature, they do not have the benefit generations of fighting honed like we do.” The council shuffled their feet, properly chastised. They all knew of Bilbo’s role in saving their home, and as a group all owed Bilbo Baggins a great debt.

       Balin, who was the most trusted advisor to the King Under the Mountain, nodded his agreement.“The King is correct. This is the plan we shall take. However, we must think of what comes before that. We shall have to request aid of the Men of Lake-Town ere we arrive at Mirkwood. We do not have enough provisions to last us the journey to the wood.”

       With a glance at Balin, Thorin spared a nod. The reconstruction was a slow business and food and necessities were slower in coming while the Men of Lake-Town and the Dale were still rebuilding what the dragon had destroyed, and coercing the land to grow crops after the devastation was a long and difficult process.

       “The plan is settled for the moment. We will request aid of Lake-Town and Mirkwood. The rest of the plan will be put together once we have reach the wood and negotiate an understanding with Thranduil,” Thorin declared after a few moments of thought.

       “Aye, best not to plan too far ahead lest our plans go awry,” mused Balin. “How soon shall we make our departure?”

       “We begin preparations now and depart at dawn tomorrow for Lake-Town,” said Thorin, dismissing the council to begin such preparations as were needed.

       Thorin and Balin made their way to a smaller meeting room, where the members of the original Company were anxiously gathered. They sprang up from their seats around the room when the king and his advisor entered, all shouting questions over each other. They were silenced, however, when Thorin raised a hand. he turned to his nephews, who were nearly vibrating where they stood from worry and excitement.

        “Fili, Kili, you will stay here and rule in my absence.”

        “I will remain, as their guard,” Dwalin rumbled. Thorin gave him an appreciative nod.

       “But Uncle!” they cried in unison, dismayed.

       “No. It is too soon for all of the line of Durin to be away from the throne. This is an opportunity our enemies will gladly take, and we must remain strong. I must go because, well... There are things I must yet say to Bilbo that must be said in person.” He spent a moment in silent thought, then shook his head as if to clear away the dreary thoughts. “Balin will-”

       Balin laid a hand on his king’s arm, smiling at the royals. “I will stay here and advise them. I am afraid my adventuring days are quite done.”

       “As are mine,” Oin added, his ear trumpet held up to his ear. “I was too old even for our last great quest. And there are still far too many here who wouldn’t know a rock spider bite from a sapphire beetle bite if the creature had bitten their own nose! I will send as much supplies as we can spare, and those I trust to know how to use them, but you’d best hope the elves can send some healers along. There's only so much we can do.”

       “Send along recipes for salves and any medicinal plants we should be looking for, I’m sure we will be able to gather fresh ingredients along the way. As for the rest of you... Speak now if you wish to remain in the mountain. Else, prepare to march to the Shire. Who will stay?” No one said a word and Thorin nodded.“Prepare yourselves for the journey. We leave at dawn.”

       The dwarves left the room to prepare for the trip. The mountain seethed with activity, every dwarf doing their part to ready the troops. A third of the troops would leave to aid the hobbits, so they would need a large supply of food and travel gear, as well as their weapons and tools for the fight and possible siege. The kitchens, which were the first rooms to be fully restored, were crowded, hot, and rich smells wafted on the steam. Troops hustled in and out of the armory, getting weapons sharpened and armor mended.

       The main hall was the most crowded, though, as everyone gathered there to do last minute preparations or to say goodbye to their loved ones. It would be a long journey even with most of the orc forces depleted making the road a little less dangerous.

       Amidst all the chaos was Gandalf, calmly smoking his pipe. He graciously accepted a meat pie that was thrust into his hands and ate it as Thorin approached him.

       "What can we expect when we reach the Shire? How big is the force of orcs?" The king asked the wizard.

       "Two very different questions," he replied. "I do not know how many orcs there are total, as they would come in raiding parties of no more than thirty."

       "So there is no way to know their true strength." Thorin scowled. He did not like being unaware of the size of his enemies, a dislike strengthened by the unexpected number of orcs in the Battle of Five Armies.  
“I would imagine they wouldn’t see the need to send their full might, not when most of them think hobbits are easy prey- untested in battle. There are some things that even the wisest do not know. Let that be of some comfort to you, Thorin,”said Gandalf.

       Easy for the wizard to say. Comfort wasn’t something Thorin was very much used to. Sighing, he bade Gandalf good-afternoon to see to his own preparations. Come what may, he was going to aid the hobbits, and if he lived through it, make amends to one particular hobbit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Please let me know what you think, especially if you have any suggestions! I'll gladly take ideas, and credit you if I use them in some form.  
> ~VWORPatron


	3. Not an update, sorry

Hooooooooly crap, I have not updated this story in so long. I am so, so sorry about that. Rest assured, that while life is hectic and busy, this story is not abandoned. I do have plans for this tale, they just need to be polished and written out.

That being said, if you have any ideas or suggestions for scenes you really want to see, let me know now! This is the perfect time to get new ideas in, and, who knows, something you say may spark in my brain and help me churn out more chapters!

Best regards, and thank you so much for sticking with this story! I'll delete this non-chapter once I have a real one to post.

~VWORPatron

PS. ~~This story now has a Tumblr! (Shirefall.tumblr.com) there, you can ask me about headcanons, suggest scenes, or request a short fic (though I can't guarantee timeliness in completing a fic and reserve the right to say no if my life is too hectic). I will hopefully be posting headcanons, snippets, and any sketches I do for this story as I create them.~~ Update 9/25/16: due to reasons, I have had to delete this Tumblr. I will make a new one when I work on this story more.

PS2. ~~If anyone would be willing to be a beta/sounding board for me, I would really appreciate it. Let me know in the comments section, or contact me through the tumblr page.~~ Thank you to those who have volunteered to help me! It is very appreciated. That being said, if anyone has an idea for a scene (especially in the space between Mirkwood and Bree), please let me know in the comments! If I use your idea, I'll be sure to credit you in the chapter.

PS3. Would you all prefer short, slightly more frequent chapters, or wait a little longer for longer chapters?

**Author's Note:**

> Here we go! I’m playing fast and loose with the canon, and of course no one of the company has died. If you have questions, let me know!! Some things I will keep some things mysterious on purpose, and please let me know if there are any errors. Also, I am working from a hodgepodge of sources, so those of you who have more knowledge of Tolkien’s world, any help or consultation would be a blessing.  
> More to come soon!!!
> 
> PS. Updates will be slow because of RL and writing our other story, as well as personal projects that I have going on right now. But I will NOT abandon this fic, and will update it as soon as I can.


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